Medieval wellies have been unearthed by archaeologists who stumbled upon a skeleton that may be the remains of a murder victim.

The male remains in Bermondsey, south-east London, lay face-down with the head twisted to the side and an arm arched over the head, suggesting he may have fallen or been pushed to his death in the Thames about 500 years ago.

His watery grave means offers many clues about his life, thanks to the river silt preserving the boots and skeleton.

The man is believed to have been around 35 years old at his time of death. The gruesome find was recovered earlier this year by archaeologists working on the 25-km Thames Tideway tunnel being built to update the Victorian sewage network.

The knee-high wellies (pictured, left) were discovered along with the remains of a potential murder victim who was aged around 35 when he was pushed or fell into the River Thames (pictured, right, his skull is examined by osteologist Niamh Carty)

The skeleton's position (pictured) seems to indicate that the man was either pushed or fell to his death on the banks of the Thames

The skeleton was found face-down with the head twisted to the side which archaeologists say could be a sign he was pushed

Beth Richardson, from Museum of London Archaeology, said: 'By studying the boots we've been able to gain a fascinating glimpse into the daily life of a man who lived as many as 500 years ago.

'They have helped us to better understand how he may have made his living in hazardous and difficult conditions, but also how he may have died. It has been a privilege to be able to study something so rare and so personal.'

The skeleton was discovered at Chambers Wharf, where Tideway's engineers are working to stop sewage pollution.

The remains (pictured) were uncovered in Bermondsey, south-east London, where work is underway to construct a 'super-sewer'

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Grooves in the teeth could suggest that the man was a fisherman who passed rope through his mouth while working on the River Thames

Jack Russell, Tideway's Archaeology Lead, said: 'The Tideway archaeology programme has allowed us to gather really interesting new evidence for how Londoners have used the river throughout history.

'As we work towards our goal of cleaning up the Thames and reconnecting London with it, it's really important to acknowledge the lessons we can learn from significant discoveries like this.'

Experts say that the unusual style of the boots mean they can be dated to the late 15th or early 16th century.

The skull (pictured) was twisted to the side when tunnel workers found it, which offers a clue as to how the man may have died

The remains were discovered at Chambers Wharf (pictured) where workers are excavating to improve the capital's sewage system

Due to the high price of leather, it was often reused and the team say it is unlikely that someone would have been buried wearing such a highly-prized item.

Hundreds of grim discoveries have been made along the Thames over the years but it is extremely rare to find a pair of well-preserved boots.

The pair were reinforced with extra soles and stuffed with an unidentified material, possibly moss, in a bid to make them warmer.

They would have been ideal for wading through the sticky Thames mud, which suggests that the owner made his living from the river.

Aside from his distinctive footwear, scientists have also found several clues about the man's identity from his skeleton.

There is evidence of osteoarthritis and deep grooves on his teeth caused by a repetitive action like passing rope between his teeth as a fisherman might.

Niamh Carty, an osteologist, said the man led an active life and would have suffered pain and discomfort every day.

She said: 'Studying a human skeleton provides incredible insights that allow us to create osteo-biographies of a person's life.

'With the booted man, examining his teeth has given clues about his childhood and marks on his skeleton have allowed us to proffer ideas about the aches and pains he may have suffered from on a daily basis, the toll his job took on his body and even a little about what he might have looked like.'

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Archaeologists unearth skeleton of man wearing 'medieval wellies' who was 'pushed to his death'